WE'RE STRUGGLING TO HANG ONTO OPTIMISM

Watched the first hour of the debate from South Carolina last night, before the real Survivor called us away. It was just ... plain ... depressing ... that in a scrum of eight, we can find no one to be enthusiastic about.

No one with "Senator" attached to his name (either "sitting" or "former") will do, though we confess that Mike Gravel was at least passionate, direct, honest, and quite possibly nuttier 'n' a Mr. Goodbar. But he got our attention.

So did Bill Richardson, for how uncomfortable he looked and how unprepared he seemed.

I mean ... it's PITIFUL, the whole field of 'em.

We see no relief for the baneful bruise that Hillary will become other than that former bruise, Al Gore.